1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed toward an improved tree delimber machine.
The invention is more particularly directed toward a tree delimber machine with improved tree feed means.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The invention is also directed toward a method of operating the tree delimbing machine, particularly when tree feeding during delimbing is interrupted.
Tree delimbers with a boom assembly having a boom sliding through a sleeve are known. Tree gripping means are mounted on the front of the sleeve and tree gripping and delimbing means are mounted on the front of the boom. To delimb a tree, the boom assembly is operated to have the tree gripping and delimbing means on the boom pick up the tree near its butt end and place the tree via its butt end in the gripping means on the sleeve. The boom is then extended to have its gripping and delimbing means delimb the tree while it is held by the gripping means on the sleeve.
These known delimbers cannot however delimb very long trees because of physical limitations on the length of the boom. It is known to provide delimbers of above type having a passageway for the tree directly behind the gripping means on the sleeve. With the passageway, a long tree can be initially gripped by its butt end and partly delimbed by a full stroke of the boom. The boom then grips the tree at the end of its stroke, the tree gripping means on the sleeve releases its hold, and the boom is returned moving the delimbed portion of the tree through the passageway. The tree gripping means on the sleeve then grips the tree about mid-center. A second stroke of the boom now completes delimbing. The delimber with a passageway is relatively slow however since the tree and the delimber means must be repositioned between strokes.
It is also known to provide delimbers that have feeding means to feed a tree rearwardly past fixed or stationary delimbing means to delimb it. To speed up delimbing, second delimbing means can be provided on the front end of the boom and the boom can be moved forwardly simultaneously while the tree is being moved rearwardly to delimb both ends of the tree. An example of such a machine is shown in Canadian Patent 986,821 by way of example. The known machine is however quite complicated in construction having the tree feeding means separated from the boom assembly. In addition, the tree feeding means are relatively complicated requiring two sets or pairs of feeding rolls.